This week the Philips Pronto team agreed to allow me to publish information on an advanced Pronto Script debugging methodology. Lyndel and I have both been using it for some time but were under NDA and could not discuss it. It was never planned for general release but we made the case that it could only have a positive outcome, and the Pronto Team finally agreed. We both found it by accident, as there is no published info regarding the capability. With an inquisitive mind, a desire to tinker, and a background in electronics; anyone could discover what we came upon just as we did; by accident.
With a simple mod (mount a stereo phone jack and solder three wires) to the docking base and the purchase of a special cable (cheapest way) you can have all of the System.print messages directed to a PC program. No more squinting at the screen and watching information disappear out of the window.
I have posted on my website (
www.the-gordons.net) a package called Pronto Pro Tools. If you can not find it there perhaps you should not be ....
It has three sub packages the first two of which I use all the time:
1) The debugging system with full documentation on how to mod the base, where to get the cable. All the software you will need is included. The whole thing should take about 10-20 minutes of time for the mod, and $25 or so for the cable. The PC program (and cable driver) are certified for XP but should work on Vista.
2) The Scripting tool with full documentation. It is a PC program that provides a graphic interface to an xcf file (9400 or 9600) and allows you to develop and maintain Pronto Script code using a code editor of your choice. The one I use is mentioned in the manual provided and costs about $50. Believe me it is worth it! Full screen, full color, complete syntax checking, pretty printing and the list goes on. You could just use Notepad...
3) A TCPIP test/demo program for the 9600 with a companion PC program. The 9600 program is about as simple as I could make it, one activity, one page, about 60 lines of code including comments. Not a production environment, but a simple learning tool.
The question what does "System.setDebugMask(9)" do? can now be answered. It is the command to direct the System.print text stream to the built in serial output port that was never externalized (brought out of the docking station). The mod takes care of that and the PC programming gives you a nice display with handy features.
Feedback appreciated. I do ask that if you download a copy of the package you let me know so I can add you to a mailing list for change notices and upgrades.
There is a lot of difference between a program usable by its author and one usable by anyone. IBM once estimated the cost difference between the two in the range of an order of magnitude (X10). Let me know of any issues and I will attend to them.
Now I can get back to SlimServer.
